Spectrum Health receives grants from National Breast Cancer Foundation
GRAND RAPIDS — Spectrum Health has received a pair of grants to aid patients through its Betty Ford Breast Care Services.
The health system is the recipient of two grants from the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The funds will continue Spectrum’s work on “overcoming barriers to care and enhancing services for underserved women.”
Spectrum Health’s Nurse Navigator program received $39,843. It provides education, emotional support, appointment coordination, patient advocacy and further care referrals to patients through their “diagnostic, treatment and survivorship journey.”
Nurse navigators also assist with biopsies and post-biopsy recovery and encourage patients to participate in screening and diagnostics, which are provided free of charge to underinsured or uninsured women.
Spectrum Health also received a $5,000 grant to cover a gap in services for patients who do not qualify for other aid programs. These funds will assist patients with high deductibles or inadequate insurance who need further diagnostic services following a screening mammogram.
The grant will cover screening and diagnostic mammograms, digital breast tomosynthesis and breast ultrasounds for low-income women in 13 West Michigan counties.
“The underserved patients we support are from a wide age range, diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, urban and rural areas – all walks of life,” stated Debby Chatel of Spectrum Health Betty Ford Breast Care Services. “The one unfortunate thing they all have in common is finding themselves in financial situations where they are unable to afford basic preventative health care.
"We are humbled and honored to play a small part in helping these patients receive the quality care they might otherwise have to forego if assistance was not available.”
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Spectrum Health receives grants from National Breast Cancer Foundation
